Die-hard Arsenal fan Piers Morgan ridiculed after endorsement of sacked Emery comes back to haunt him (VIDEO)

Professional provocateur, broadcaster and die-hard Arsenal fan Piers Morgan's early backing of Gunners boss Unai Emery has been doing the rounds on social media following the Spaniard's removal from his post on Friday morning.

Morgan gave a glowing endorsement of Emery's appointment to succeed longtime Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger in May of last year, telling Sky Sports that the former PSG and Sevilla coach had the necessary experience and managerial nous to return Arsenal to the summit of English football.

Of course, it didn't quite work out that way. The club announced early on Friday that Emery's spell at the London club had come to an end following a home Europa League defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt, the latest in a string of disappointing results which has seen the former English champions register just four Premier League wins so far this season.

And, judging by Morgan's words in appraisal of Emery, he was expecting a whole lot more from him during his tenure in charge.

"I'm happy with him, he's a proper manager," Morgan said. "Great record, three European trophies in the last five years. Just won the treble at PSG. He failed their criteria for not winning the Champions League but for what Arsenal need right now, this is great.

"Arsenal fans should get right behind this guy; he's a winner. He's intense, he's driven - he'll get into that dressing room, sort them out [and] hopefully ship out the deadwood and if he can't find a buyer for Xhaka and Mustafi I'll find one for him."

Current Manchester City assistant and former Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta is now once again being linked with the Emirates hot-seat after he was passed over the job in favor of Emery in May of last year. While caretaker boss Freddie Ljungberg will oversee things for the foreseeable future, Spanish coach Arteta is among the favorites to be appointed the club's new permanent boss - but last summer Morgan wasn't overly-enthused by that prospect.

"He might turn out to be a great coach, let's wait and see but it's Guardiola doing the business over there at City not Arteta," Morgan said. "So I'm thrilled we got a guy, he's a winner and he has over-performed with teams. That's what we need. We've been underperforming for a long time."

For Arsenal fans, that sense of under-performing has continued well into Emery's reign but, from the perspective of Gunners fans at least, hopefully not too far beyond it. And as for Piers? Well, he might be regretting his backing of Unai Emery today.

"So my message to Arsenal fans is get behind this guy. This is what we've needed for years. If it doesn't work out I want this tape destroyed!"